


A Close Call

by DiamondbackMako16



Series: The New Guy [1]
Category: Onward (2020)
Genre: F/M, Gun Fight, Hostage Situation, Hurt/Comfort, fear of losing a husband, minor injury, shoot out, trigger warning-gun violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:40:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23298694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DiamondbackMako16/pseuds/DiamondbackMako16
Summary: Laurel lost one husband, and marrying a police officer, she knew there was a risk of losing another. She just didn't expect the risk to come so soon...
Relationships: Colt Bronco/Laurel Lightfoot
Series: The New Guy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1685629
Comments: 16
Kudos: 46





	1. The Shootout

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Onward belongs to Disney/Pixar and Dan Scanlon. This fic was written purely for fun and I am making no money off this. 
> 
> A/N: This fic takes places after the films epilogue, so Colt and Laurel are married in this fic. And yes, at the end of the film, there's a blink and you'll miss it shot of Laurel and Colt wearing wedding rings. So, yes; their marriage is cannon. 
> 
> Also, I marked this fic with a 'graphic violence' warning, but in truth, there's nothing graphic. There's some description of a shootout and mentions of several characters getting shot, but nothing gory. Note the trigger warning in the tags.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Colt gets into a bit of a pickle during a shootout

_Hot_.

That’s what it was, it was _hot_.

Hot and humid and sunny and all around, just a _huge_ inconvenience to the numerous police officers that were currently barricaded around the rundown home where a disgruntled father was holding his family hostage.

In short, it was horrible weather for a situation like this, and the extra protection the officers wore wasn’t doing them any favors. Not at the moment. The black vests and armor only served to trap more heat which only made everyone all the more uncomfortable.

Several cops had resorted to using their caps as fans in an attempt to cool off. Many however, knew the effort would be futile and simply leaned against their squad cars and allowed themselves to practically melt under the harsh sun.

Colt Bronco was one of the few that remained on high alert as he knew this hostage situation could easily nose dive without a moment’s notice. He had to be ready. _They_ had to be ready.

Colt glanced down at the negotiator beside him, “Anything?” he asked as the officer hung up his phone. 

The satyr shook his head in frustration, “ _Nothing_. No matter what I say, I’m just not getting through to him.”

Colt heaved a heavy sigh as he took in the house. Every curtain had been drawn over the windows, and the house was silent. The only indication that the suspects wife and children were even alive was the fact that the negotiator could hear their fearful whimpers in the background every time he spoke to the suspect.

“Try him again. See if you can talk him into letting his wife and kids out.” The centaur instructed.

The negotiator frowned, “That’s what I’ve been trying to do sir, but by all accounts, _she’s_ part of the problem and he doesn’t intend on letting her go.”

Colt cringed. He _figured_ the suspect wouldn’t let his wife go so easily…not when he just found out that she had been cheating on him for three out of the five years they had been married…

“And the kids?” Colt tried, “What’s his excuse with _them_?”

“Apparently he got it out of his wife that one of them wasn’t his and she’s not sure who the father of the other one is…”

Of _course,_ that would be the case…

“ _Damn_ _it_.” Colt hissed. He glanced around before motioning to the satyr, “Where’s that boss of his?”

“Still en-route sir.” Officer Gore answered as she approached the Captain.

“ _Still_?! How far out was he?!” Colt asked in disbelief.

“ _Pretty_ far out. I guess he wanted to be one with nature or _something_ …” the satyr officer rolled her eyes in dismissal.

Officer Specter joined the group, arms crossed, “Mmm-hmm, and that Elite club just _happened_ to be near his camp site.”

Colt shook his head in disbelief as he led the female officers away from the negotiator. “The guy goes golfing every weekend and leaves a heavy workload for his underpaid employees-”

“A workload that he expects them to do _on_ said weekends-”

“While _he’s_ out having fun.” Specter and Gore finished.

Colt nodded, “Isn’t that always the case with these bigtime hotshots?” He took off his hat and wiped the sweat from his brow, “I just hope bringing him in doesn’t turn out to be a mistake. We’ve been at this for almost five hours, I’d hate for things to turn sour just because some first-class tycoon said the wrong thing.”

Officer Gore chuckled, “Yeah. Hey so uh…how’s the married life treating ya?” she adjusted her vest and belt as she changed the topic.

Colt shifted on his feet, frowning as the protective padding he wore over his lower-side rubbed against his equally sweaty haunches, “It’s going great! Laurel’s amazing!” he smiled at the thought of his strong, warrior wife.

After the incident with the curse and the stone dragon, Colt was relieved to learn that Laurel was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. And though he had been hesitant at first, he had come to trust Corey and knew Laurel was in good hands when the two hung out together. Obviously, he still worried every now and then, but he wasn’t _as_ overly protective of her as he had been before the magical fiasco.

“And what about the boys?” Gore pressed, “How are you getting on with them?”

Colt’s smile slowly diminished, “Well…I think Ian and I are getting along pretty well. I mean that quest thing really boosted his confidence and he’s opened up to me, so that’s good.”

“And Barley?”

There was a heavy sigh, “ _Barley_ …” Colt stared off as he tried to find the right words to describe his relationship with his elder step-son, “We…we don’t exactly see eye to eye…” he ran a hand through his short, brown hair and frowned again. He had been proud of his long brown locks, but with summer months approaching and the temperature rising, Colt had no choice but to cut his hair in an attempt to keep the back of his neck cool.

Noting Colt’s lost look, Specter added her own input, “I hear what you’re sayin’, and I hate to break it to you, but it’s going to take a _long_ time before you two start getting along.” The cyclops narrowed her eye in thought, “And to be honest, I don’t think I blame him for being so reluctant to accept you- not that there’s anything wrong with _you_ sir!” she brought her hands up in peace when Colt’s face dropped, “It’s just…looking at it from his perspective, it can’t be easy for him to see his mother love another man the way she loved his father.”

Officer Gore gave a slow nod in understanding, “Yeah I guess I can see where he’s coming from…I don’t think I could stomach the sight of my parents kissing or loving someone that wasn’t each other.” She shivered as unpleasant images ran through her head. “ _Ugh_! I think I need to bleach my brain…”

Specter chuckled at the younger officer before turning her attention back to Colt, “I know it’s hard, but just give him time and he’ll open up to you too.”

Colt shook his head in frustration, “I _know_ , but it’s not _just_ that. He’s so obsessed over that board game, and now that magic’s making a comeback, that’s _all_ he ever talks about.” The centaur paused in thought, “Actually, as far _I’ve_ known him, that’s all he’s ever talked about, but now he talks about it _more_! And believe me, I’ve _tried_ to take an interest in that stuff, but I don’t know anything about _spells_ or _swords_ or _magical artifacts_ or anything of that sort!” his arms swung around in exasperation as he spoke, “And it doesn’t help that he’s _still_ causing trouble!” He finally placed his patrol hat back on his head, “I care for the boy, but he’s not making it easy…”

The female officers shared a sympathetic look, “I know it’s hard, but the _last_ thing you want to do is give up. Just keep reaching out and he’ll come around.” Specter gave a warm smile which lifted Colt’s mood ever so slightly.

“I’ll…I’ll do that. Tha-”

“Sir! Something’s happening!”

The panicked call caught the trio’s attention and they all raced back to the negotiator, who was frantically trying to talk the suspect out of something.

“What’s going on?” Colt demanded, his eyes darting from the negotiator to the officer that stood beside him.

“We’re losing him! If we don’t get the family out _now,_ he’s gonna but a bullet through their heads!” the wide-eyed officer filled in.

Colt’s ears dropped further than they already were, “Assume your positions!” Colt ordered before leaning into his shoulder mic, “SWAT team, get ready to mo-” A loud bang erupted from the home followed by the unmistakable sounds of children screaming. Another bang sounded out followed by more screaming, “Shots fired, shots fired! SWAT team move in!” Colt had just finished giving the order when a bullet whizzed past him from the right, narrowly missing him and instead lodging itself in one of the police cars to his left.

Colt instinctively ducked down as much as he could and called out to the other officers, “WE’RE UNDER FIRE! TAKE COVER!” he yelled, drawing out his own weapon. More shots fired from the right, as well as from the house, and the officers hid behind their cruisers, trying to pinpoint the exact location of the shooters.

A loud pop from their left indicated a _third_ gunman.

This one, Colt spotted and he was quick to point out his location, “Gun man at nine o’ clock! Return fire!”

Several of the officers, including himself fired as the retreating form, but the pops from the other two gunmen quickly drew the centaur’s attention, and he focused his aim on the house, particularly, the window who’s curtain just shifted.

The brown-hided centaur was so focused on trying to pinpoint the gunman’s location that he didn’t even know there was a fourth attacker until a bullet hit him square in the back…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit 3/27/20: So it turns out that those two gold bars on Colt's shoulder indicate his rank within the police force. I mistakenly thought he would be the Chief or something (i don't know what i was thinking), but no, after some research, I found that those bars mark him as a police Captain. 
> 
> Captain Colt Bronco. 
> 
> Captain Bronco. 
> 
> It's got a nice ring to it. :)


	2. A Comforting Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laurel learns of the shoot out and reaches out for comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As far as I know, there's no canon first name for Officer Gore, so I just picked out a name that I thought would fit her best; Kendra. 
> 
> Disclaimer: Onward belongs to Disney/Pixar and Dan Scanlon. This fic was written purely for fun and I am making no money off this.

_“-After a nearly six-hour standoff, police were met with resistance from the suspect and his three accomplices, in which a brief shootout broke out. The attack came to an end when New Mushroomton’s SWAT team was able to enter the residence of the prime gunman and apprehend the suspect. One of the shooters, a cousin of the suspect, was killed during the fight. The wife of the suspect was injured just before the shoot out and is currently in critical condition. The children of the household were found unharmed but are still being evaluated at New Mushroomton’s General hospital; afterwards they will be released to their maternal grandparents. A third gunman, a brother of the prime gunman, was injured and is also being treated, while the fourth, another brother, surrendered and was apprehended as well. Unfortunately, three police officers were also injured during the shootout, including esteemed Colt Bro-”_

The TV flicked off.

The only sound that now filled the room was Laurel taking deep, calming breaths as she brought a hand to her chest. In her other hand was her cell phone that was currently ringing Colt’s cell number. Her face fell as she was met with her husband’s voicemail.

_“Hi, this is Colt Bronco! I’m sorry I couldn’t answer your call, but leave your name and number and I’ll-”_

Laurel hung up and brought her free hand to her face, a defeated sigh escaped her lips. A large paw came up and rubbed comforting circles on her back.

“I’m _sure_ he’s fine. The reporter said the officers were only injured…they haven’t confirmed any deaths on their end…” Corey soothed as she continued to rub her friend’s back.

Laurel shook her head, “Yeah, but they haven’t said how _bad_ the injuries are…for all we know, someone could be on life support, and it could be Co-” her voice hitched and she brought up a hand to cover her mouth, as if to stop the rest of the words from leaving her lips. Her eyes watered at the thought of receiving that dreaded, life shattering phone call… _again_ …

“I can’t lose him Corey…I just _can’t_ …” Laurel whimpered, “I’ve already lost Wilden, I don’t want to lose Colt too!”

“And you’re _wont_. Colt’s a tough guy…whatever condition’s he’s in, he’ll pull through.” Corey moved her arm to pull Laurel in for a hug, “He loves you _and_ the boys. He won’t let anything tear him away from you all.”

Laurel wiped several stray tears from her eyes, “I know…but I still worry about him.” Ian, who had been watching the breaking news coverage, handed his mother a tissue, which she took with a thankful smile, “I mean…I _knew_ what I was getting into when I married him, but I didn’t think I’d be dealing with something like _this_ so soon! We’ve only been married for _two months_ Corey!”

Corey gave the she elf a small squeeze as she nodded in understanding, “Yeah its not easy being married to someone whose career involves them putting their life on the line.” The manticore glanced over at Barley’s laid out game. Her mind wondered back to the days of old, and she remembered how many of the adventurers that came by her tavern had families with spouses and children and other loved ones… _gods_ it hurt knowing that many of them never made it back, alive or otherwise.

It was the life of a warrior.

And Colt? He was a warrior. A modern-day warrior, but a warrior none the less.

Whatever he had gotten himself in, he would pull through.

For _Laurel’s_ sake, he would pull through.

Corey motioned to the cell in the elf’s hand, “You know what? You got the numbers of some of the other officers, don’t you? Why don’t you try ringing some of _them_ up and see what they say?” she suggested.

Laurel wiped her nose with the tissue and stared down at her phone. It was true. During their dating phase, Laurel met some of Colt’s closest friends on the force, and eventually, his friends became her friends, and soon enough, Laurel had several officer’s personal numbers stored on her phone.

Taking Corey’s advice, Laurel unlocked her phone and tried her luck with Officer Specter. When the phone rang through to voicemail, she sent a panicked look to Corey. The manticore gave her an encouraging nod, and Laurel tried the next officer. When he didn’t answer, she tried the next.

She repeated this process until she _finally_ got her break.

“-Gore speaking…”

Laurel let out a sigh of relief, “Oh Pandora, thank _goodness_ …” she brought her free hand up to her chest, “I was starting to get worried when no one answered- I mean, I understand you all have a lot on your plate at the moment- I saw the news report, but then the reporter said some of you had been injured and… _aaand_ I’m rambling.” Laurel massaged her temples, “What I mean to say is; are you all okay?”

A tired laugh sounded from the other end of the phone, “Yeah _I’m_ okay…Specter’s fine too, she’s just busy dealing with some reporters a- _no_ I’m not available to comment right now! Sorry, and the others are busy dealing with the aftermath of, well… _everything_.”

Laurel nodded, “And…Colt?” she asked, almost shyly.

“Oh, he’s fine!” Gore answered without skipping a beat.

Laurel blinked and shared a confused look with Corey and her sons, “… _Really_? Because the reporter said…”

“ _Weeell…_ he _did_ get shot in the back…”

Laurel blanched, “ _Oh my go-_ ”

“ _But_ , his vest protected him from serious injury. There was some minor penetration from where the bullet hit, but the worst part is the nasty bruising he’s gonna have for a while. He’s here at the hospital getting treated as we speak.” Officer Gore assured.

“How long is he supposed to stay there?”

“They’re treating him as an outpatient, so he’ll be home in a couple of hours. They’re gonna have him rest for a bit and then he’ll be good to go.”

Laurel’s heart fluttered, “So he’s going to be okay?”

“That’s what the doctor said.”

Laurel’s face lit up as she shared a smiled with Corey, “That’s great Pandora, thank you so much for sharing that with me!”

“No problem, and hey, I would have called you sooner, but like I said, we’ve all been _crazy_ busy with the suspects, and the injured and now with all the reporters hanging around…” Everyone could just picture the young officer rolling her eyes.

“Yeah, well, thank you again for letting me know, and I’m glad you all are okay!” Laurel wiped several tears of joy from her eyes.

“Thanks, and I’ll let Colt know you called.”

“Thank you, I appreciate it.”

Officer Gore went silent as faint sound of someone speaking to her in the background could be heard, “No problem, and listen, I gotta go! I’ll tell have Colt call or text you later!”

“No that’s fine you go ahead, and thank you for everything!”

“Uh-huh! Bye! Bye!” Gore said quickly before hanging up.

Laurel hung up and slumped against Corey, most if not all stress washed away.

Corey gave her newest best friend another squeeze, “You see? I _told_ you he’d be okay!”

Laurel couldn’t help it. Tears of pure joy and relief rolled down her cheeks, and Corey pulled her into a full hug.

Ian tentatively approached the sofa his mother and Corey were sitting on, and he reached down and rubbed his mother’s back. Laurel smiled and shifted in Corey’s hold as she held an arm out to her younger son. Ian bent down with a soft smile and allowed his mother to pull him into her hold.

Barley stood by the dining table, his eyes on the phone that was sandwiched between his mother’s lap and Ian. His mother’s phone had been on speaker, so he had heard the entire conversation, and while he was happy that his _mother_ was happy, he still didn’t exactly know how to feel about Colt’s current condition.

It wasn’t that he wanted his step-father _dead_ or anything, it was just… _difficult_ , to see his mother get so worked up over someone that wasn’t Wilden.

Seeing her shed tears for Colt just seemed to reiterate the fact that she had moved on from her first husband’s death, whereas Barley still struggled with the loss.

The young man just _couldn’t_ bring himself to worry for Colt the same way his mother and Ian could…

Corey caught sight of Barley lingering by the table and motioned the young elf over, “I see you over there. Come on over and get in on this.”

Not wanting to say ‘no’ to _The Manticore_ , Barley swallowed whatever inhibitions he felt towards the situation, and joined in on the group hug.

Laurel sighed in content as she was cocooned by her eldest son. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit 4/4/20: I changed Officer Gore's first name from Kendra to Pandora. These first names are not canon in the film, but Pandora is what i'm going with.


	3. Sweet Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Onward belongs to Disney/Pixar and Dan Scanlon. This fic was written purely for fun and I am making no money off this.
> 
> A/N: My goodness, I just keep adding chapters to this thing! At first, this was going to be just a long one-shot, but then I was like, 'nah, lets make it a two-shot', then I thought 'eh, why not make it three chapters?' , but then my obsession for even numbers came up, and I said 'four. four chapters for sure', and given that i'm about ready to wrap this thing up, four chapters will be the final number. 
> 
> So yes, one more chapter after this, and then i'll get started on the follow up fic. :D

It was an hour after the phone call with Gore that Corey had to excuse herself and head back to her tavern.

“Gotta get ready for the dinner rush!” She said.

Laurel had simple nodded in understanding and thanked her friend for coming over.

After the winged being flew off, Laurel assured her sons that she was alright, and they could go about their business without having to worry about her.

Although reluctant, Ian and Barley went to their respected rooms, but not before clearing up Barley’s game from the dinning table.

As soon as she was alone, Laurel dropped back down on the sofa and looked at her phone. After a moment’s deliberation, she sent a quick text to her husband.

_I spoke to Pandora a little while ago. I can’t express how happy I am that you’re alright! I love you <3_

She stared down at the device in her hands. He didn’t reply right away, and she didn’t expect him to. After all, Gore _did_ say that the doctors were going to let him rest before leaving, and after the long day he had, Laurel wouldn’t be surprised if he chose to take a quick nap before the hospital discharged him.

With that in mind, Laurel forced herself to put her phone down, and picked up the TV remote. She flicked on the flat-screen and after scrolling through the TV guide, she settled for some campy sitcom. She watched absent minded, chuckling every now and then before getting up and making herself a cup of coffee. Decafe.

Once her cup was brewed and prepared, Laurel opted to sit at the table, and for a while, she simply stared down at the dark liquid. Eventually, her eyes moved to the gold ring around her finger, and she smiled. Memories of her and Colt’s wedding day flashed through her mind, as did the day Colt proposed to her.

Laurel gave a soft laugh. He was as nervous and sweaty as the day he asked her out on their first date.

Her mind then wondered further back to the day the two first met.

Barley had been out causing a public disturbance with his friends _again,_ and had been giving a police escort home… _again_. This time however, he was brought home by the department’s Captain instead of the usual officer.

Laurel remembered opening the door and deflating in exasperation as she caught sight of a sheepish Barley with a stern looking centaur officer standing behind him. One hand clutched Barley’s shoulder while the other rested on his belt.

It had been an intimidating sight, but apparently, something about her seemed to soften the centaur almost immediately, because he soon took off his reflective sunglasses and looked at her, almost in awe, before seemingly composing himself. They went through the routine ‘is this your son?’, ‘yes, it is’ schtick, and after sending Barley to his room to await punishment, Laurel put on her best sympathetic smile and apologized for the trouble her son had caused. This seemed to have a further effect on Colt as he ended up letting Barley off with yet another warning.

After that, it seemed that Colt, still Captain Bronco to her at the time, took it upon himself to bring back Barley whenever the young elf was being a nuisance to the general public. As a result, a mutual friendship formed between the mother and officer, and it was only a matter of time that Colt invited her out to lunch. ‘Just as friends!’ he had said. Well, Laurel happily accepted, and that only opened a whole new level to their growing friendship. And as their friendship grew, so did their feelings for each other.

It would be several months later that Colt finally asked her out on an official date, to which Laurel readily accepted.

Barley had objected when he saw his mother getting ready that night, but Laurel calmed him down and went through with her date. And she regretted _nothing._

Yes, she felt a small amount of guilt for loving someone other than Wilden, but her close friends and family all said that it was about time she moved on and got back in the dating scene. That Wilden would _want_ her to be happy, and that she wouldn’t be betraying him as just because she would be accepting a new love in her life, it didn’t mean she loved her first husband any less…

Laurel twisted the ring around her finger. She believed their words of encouragement then, and she believed them now.

Although she was now married to Colt, Wilden _still_ held a special place in her heart. He was her best friend, the first love of her life, and the father to her children. That much was true, and for that, she would always love him. _Colt_ …though he came into her and the boys' life _long_ after Wilden’s passing, he still became one of her dearest friends, and he was always that shoulder Laurel would cry on when dreams and memories of Wilden became too much to bear. And though Barley and Ian may not believe it, Colt _did_ love them. They just had to give him a chance… _Barley_ had to give him a chance.

Laurel looked in the general direction of her sons’ rooms. Ian was doing much better at accepting Colt, and had no problem with the marriage. _Barley_ on the other hand…he was still having trouble coming to terms with her marrying another man. Laurel remembered catching her elder son glare at Colt during the wedding ceremony and he actually left the reception early, claiming he wasn’t feeling well. When he learned that she and Colt had stayed in a hotel room for their first night of marriage, he refused to make eye contact with either of them for nearly a week…

With a sigh, Laurel turned her attention back to her coffee and was about to take a sip when a high pitch ‘ding!’ reached her ears. She turned her attention to the sofa just in time to see her phone dim once more. Hopeful curiosity filled her, and she rushed over to where she left the device. Her heart soared when she saw that it was a message from Colt. She unlocked her phone and read his full text.

_Hi honey…sorry I missed your calls and texts. The doctors insisted I turn off my phone while they treated me._

Another text came in.

_Afterwards, they suggested I keep it off while I rested._

Laurel smiled and sent her response.

_It's alright...I’m just glad you’re okay…I was so worried about you…_

Immediately, three dots flashed on Colt’s end of the conversation as he typed out his reply.

_I’m sorry for scaring you…I’ll be home within the hour and I’ll make it up to you._

Laurel smiled.

_You don’t have to make up for anything. You coming home is all I need. I love you so much <3 <3_

His response came shortly after.

 _I love you too, honey! <3<3 _*A throbbing heart gif accompanied his message.*

Laurel let out a deep sigh and held her phone to her chest, relieved that her husband himself confirmed that he would be coming home soon.

With that in mind, Laurel stretched out on the sofa and allowed herself to drift off as she waited for her husband. Her coffee long forgotten.


	4. Coming Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laurel expresses her fears and Colt does his best to comfort her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Onward belongs to Disney/Pixar and Dan Scanlon. This fic was written purely for fun and I am making no money off this.
> 
> A/N: Heads up, things get a little heated in the bedroom, but nothing graphic. Just some undressing. Nothing major. But still...there's that heads up. 😅

“Mom…”

A gentle hand shook Laurel’s shoulder, and she moaned in her sleep.

“Mom,” the voice whispered softly, “Colt’s back.”

This caught the she elf’s attention, and she awoke with a jolt, which sent Ian reeling away from her.

“Sorry honey…” Laurel apologized as she sat up and adjusted her glasses. Glancing around, she caught sight of Barley leaning against the kitchen counter, lazily munching on what looked like a ham and cheese sandwich.

How long had she been out?

The elves ears twitched at the sound of a car door closing, and Barley silently made his retreat to his room. Ian did the same, but not before sending his mother a reassuring smile. The steady sound of hoofs approaching the front door was heard, and Laurel was quick to throw the door open. 

Standing on the other side was a stunned Colt. In one hand, he held a bouquet of flowers, in the other was the house key that was held out, ready to be inserted into the keyhole.

“ _Colt_!” Laurel closed the distance between then and gave a small hop as she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Colt hissed in pain as he was forced to arche down, the action agitating his still tender wounds, “Ah! Ah! H-honey! My bruises!” Laurel quickly released him, and he slowly straightened his back with another hiss, his eyes clenched shut. His back felt like it was on fire…

Laurel brought her hands to her mouth, “Sorry! Is…is it bad?”

Colt opened his eyes, “I’m going to be sore for a while, and feeling my clothes brush against the bruise doesn’t feel too good, but I’ll manage.”

Laurel stepped back, granting her husband access to their home. She closed and locked the door with a soft click, “Oh Colt…”

“What can I say? The guy shot me when my back was turned.” Colt said this with a lighthearted smile, but seeing his wife’s worried expression, he cleared his throat and held out the flowers in his hand, “These are for you sweetie!”

Laurel’s ears perked as she took the bouquet, “Colt they’re beautiful!” she sniffed the sweet fragrance and smiled, “You know, you really didn’t have to…”

Colt shrugged, “Well…I scared you and I _did_ say I wanted to make it up to you, so…” he motioned to the flowers in Laurel’s hands.

Laurel smiled, “Thank you, Colt.” She walked to the kitchen and pulled out a glass vase. She then took a pair of scissors and began trimming the stems.

Colt sauntered up from behind and wrapped his arms around his wife’s midsection. He then leaned down and pressed his face against the side of her neck, doing his best to ignore the light sting as his uniform brushed against his tender wound. He nickered softly, causing Laurel to giggle at the vibrations and sensation of Colt’s mustache.

“Colt that tickles!” she laughed as she dropped the scissors and squirmed in his grasp. She shifted until she was facing him and brought her hands up to cup his larger face. She stared into his eyes for a second before pulling him in for a kiss, which he readily returned.

The two remained locked in each other’s hold, but when one of Colt’s hands began to snake down towards Laurel’s rump, she broke the kiss and placed her hands on his chest, “Not in the _kitchen_!” she hissed playfully. 

Colt backed up and looked back at the sofa, “The living room then?” he asked, just as playfully.

Still smiling, Laurel gave her husband a lighthearted slap on the chest, “ _Colt_ …” she warned. Her cheeks flushed pink. Even if Ian and Barley _weren’t_ home, the thought of her and Colt being passionate in such a ‘public’ area just seemed so _naughty_ and… _exciting_. But given the fact that they still had two sons living in the house (and were currently _in_ said home), Laurel felt that it wouldn’t be right to soil the main room everyone conjugated in.

Perhaps once the boys moved out, she and Colt could freely experiment in different rooms, but for now, they would have to settle for the privacy of their own room.

“So…the bedroom?” Colt guessed.

Laurel nodded, and not even three minutes later, the two found themselves in the master bedroom, picking up where they left off in the kitchen. The only difference was that their kissing was more feverish than it had been down stairs.

Heavy petting was another thing they hadn’t gotten into while in the kitchen, but _now_ , their hands were busy roaming each other’s bodies.

Unfortunately, Laurel was so caught up in the moment that she forgot about-

“ **Agh!** ”

Immediately, Laurel retracted her hands and stepped away from Colt, whose face was scrunched in pain.

“What happened?! Are you alright?! the elf prodded, cautiously reaching out to take the centaur’s face in her hands.

Colt exhaled heavily and nodded, “…yeah…you just pressed on my bullet wound is all…” he straightened with a groan.

Laurel’s hands cupped her mouth, “Colt, I’m _so_ sorry!”

_‘There was some minor penetration.’_

Gore’s words echoed in Laurel’s mind, and the realization of how close she came to loosing Colt hit her like a freight train. She slowly lowered herself onto the bed, her eyes watering once more.

Had it not been for his vest, the bullet could have done _more_ damage than it had done, and Colt could have been…

A sob and a sniffle made Colt’s ears twitch and he looked over to his wife in concern.

Through the pain, he lowered himself before her, his legs folding neatly beneath him. He brought his hands to her face and wiped away a stray tear with his thumb, “Laurel? Honey? What’s wrong?” he cooed, brushing away more tears as they fell.

Laurel brought a fist up to wipe away her own tears, “I…I thought I was going to lose you…” she whispered, “When I heard that you were hurt…I…you…you don’t know how _scared_ I was…”

“Oh _Laurel_ …” Colt pulled her in and wrapped his arms around her, practically engulfing her in his large frame.

Laurel cautiously wrapped her arms around his lower torso, right where his humanoid half met his horse half, “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you too…I-I don’t even know if I can handle another scare like this…”

Colt’s hold tightened as his heart raced, “…What are you saying Laurel…?” Was she regretting her marriage to him _already_?

“I’m just saying…it worries me when you get into situations like this.” She pulled away to look into her husband’s eyes, “And I know it’s not fair to ask you to find a different job… _not_ when you enjoy this career so much, and you’re so _good_ at it, so I won’t ask that of you. And I don’t regret marrying you, if that’s what you’re thinking,” she brought a hand up to caress his face, “but just know that I’m thinking and worrying about you…I love you _so_ much.” Her vision blurred as her voice cracked.

Colt cupped her cheek in one large hand, “I love you too Laurel…you know that.”

The she elf moved forward to bury her face into the centaur’s chest, her hold on him tightening, “I just don’t want to lose another husband…Wilden was taken from me…I don’t want you taken away too…I don’t think the _boys_ can handle the loss of another father…”

Colt disagreed. He was _sure_ Barley would be happy to be rid of him, _but_ he felt he should keep that thought to himself. He had a wife to comfort.

“Laurel…” he cooed in her ear. The appendage twitched, indicating that she was listening, and he continued, “I wish…I wish I could tell you that you have nothing to worry about. That something like this is never going to happen again, and if it did, that I’ll be okay and I’ll always come back to you. Heck, I wish I could promise you every day, without doubt, that’ll be home for dinner, but…” Colt took a deep breath, “I _can’t._ I’d be lying to you if I did.” He lifted Laurel’s chin so that she was looking at him, “The only thing I can do is _try_ to stay safe and no matter what, I’ll _always_ do my best to come home to you.”

“I know.” Laurel said softly.

After brushing a few more tears from her cheeks, Colt pulled her in for a kiss.

Laurel returned the smooch and brought her hands up to run her fingers through Colt’s once again short hair.

In response, Colt slid his hands down towards the bottom of Laurel’s shirt and slipped his hands beneath, moaning at the sensation of her soft skin beneath his palms.

Sensing that the mood had returned, Laurel brought her hands down and began loosening Colt’s tie. Once _that_ was off, she got to work unbuttoning his shirt.

All the while, they kept kissing. They would stop every few seconds for air before diving into each other’s lips again. A moment later, Laurel laid on her back with Colt hovering over. She carefully wrapped her arms around his neck, making sure not to brush the wounds on his upper back, and closed her eyes in pleasure as he pecked her face and neck with kisses.

A long life together wasn’t set in stone, so the least they could do was just enjoy the time they had now and make every moment count.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end...for now. 
> 
> I've got a sequel/follow up that takes place a few weeks after this fic and it'll focus on Colt and Barley's relationship. More specific: Barley and Colt find themselves in hot water, and Colt has to show how far he'll go to protect his eldest step-son. In the end, Barley just might grow some respect for his new father.

**Author's Note:**

> A short chapter for a short fic. It feels weird working on such a short chapter as i'm used to writing out 10,000+ word chapters, but oh well. The second chapter should be longer. 
> 
> This is more of a warm up for a bigger Onward fic i'm planning.


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